One of the most burning questions before traveling to Japan for the first time, “do I REALLY need a JR Pass?”. This is a question I spent SO much time trying to answer for myself – through endless research, reading articles, and asking Facebook communities. Thankfully, I found the answer and did not spend more money then needed.
This blog post is your one stop destination in figuring out if you actually need the Japan Rail Pass, and everything else you need to know. Chances are, you won’t need it, but here we go!👇
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Everything to Know Before Buying Your JR Pass!👇
What is the JR Rail Pass?
As you’ll see, this pass receives many different names – JR Rail Pass, Japan Rail Pass, JR Pass, and so forth.
The Japan Rail Pass is a pass only for foreign tourists, that offers unlimited JR train rides for 1 week, 2 weeks, up to 3 weeks.
The JR network covers all the Shinkansen trains, which are the bullet trains, as well as all the other JR methods of transportations – including trains, and buses.
With the JR National Pass, you can travel around the entire country of Japan. With the JR Regional Pass, you can travel around the entire region you are visiting.
The benefit of the JR Pass was that it would help you save money on traveling around Japan, but since the 2023 price increases – it hasn’t been exactly the case. So let’s dive into the prices.👇
Pricing and Purchase Information
How to Purchase and Where to Buy the JR Pass
You can seamlessly book your JR Rail Pass with Klook, and get a Free 3GB eSIM (worth JP¥1,200) and a Free Digital Guide!
How much is the JR Pass in 2025?
Here are the current 2025 prices for the standard national JR Pass:
- 7 days – ¥ 50,000. This is about $310 and €286
- 14 days – ¥ 80,000. This is about $495 and €457
- 21 days – ¥ 100,000. This is about $619 and €571
These prices are a minimum 65% increase from 2023!
How Far in Advance should I buy a JR Pass?
If you are planning to use the JR Pass, you need to buy it in advance! You can book the JR Pass as early as 6 months in advance, but given the validity period is 90 days – you would receive your pass around 1 month before your trip.
With that said, it’s best to consider your travel dates when you book your pass. It’s recommended to book them between the 2 months to at least 2 weeks before your flight.
If you are planning to travel around Japan for an extended period, it’s good to note that you must activate your JR Pass within 30 days of the exchange order.
JR Pass Coverage and Limitations
What does the JR Pass not cover?
The JR Pass covers EVERYTHING in the JR Network. This includes all Shinkansen, express, fast and local trains. It also includes the wonderful Narita Express, and more.
Here is everything that the JR Pass covers, and does not cover.
The JR Rail Pass is only worth it if you are planning to travel around the entire country of Japan and go on extensive journeys. If you are only visiting places like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, with maybe a couple of day trips – you DO NOT need the JR Rail Pass.
As an additional example, if you’re staying in Tokyo, you do not need the JR Pass – as you’ll use public transportation to get around, and won’t have too-long of commutes.
Alternatives to the JR Rail Pass | Pasmo Passport, Suica, etc…
Your best friend during your Japan travels will be the Pasmo Passport or the Suica Card.
These are part of the IC network and are prepaid cards that you can use for public transportation, restaurants, and most shopping!
By having these cards, you won’t have to worry about getting tickets every time you need to hop on public transportation – which will happen often. Furthermore, it will be nice to not have too carry too much physical cash!
What is the difference between Pasmo Passport, Suica, and JR Pass?
The difference between these IC Cards vs the JR Pass is that they are for public transportation and are prepaid cards that you can use in many different scenarios. The JR Pass is strictly for unlimited rides on the JR Network transportation.
The Pasmo Passport is something you can get directly at the airport, which I recommend doing. I personally loved having the Pasmo Passport because it was convenient, and… it’s SO cute!!🥹 It has the Sanrio characters, and makes for a great souvenir until you’re ready to travel back to Japan.
If you don’t want to worry about losing, or using, a physical card – the Suica app will be great for you! This is something you have on your smart phone. What’s nice about this app is that you can directly recharge it and don’t need to worry about losing it.
With the physical card, you’d need to recharge it with cash. Which is perfectly fine, but not necessarily as convenient.
How to Use the JR Rail Pass
How to Activate the Pass
When you book your JR Pass, you’ll receive something called the Exchange Order, or JR Voucher, which has 3-months validity. This is not the actual pass itself, but something you’ll bring to a JR Exchange office to exchange and receive your official JR Rail Pass.
You can choose whether you want the Exchange Order to be sent to your house, or to your temporary stay in Japan.
You need to make the exchange within the 3 months of the Exchange Order’s validity period, to receive your pass. Due to this, as mentioned earlier, it’s best to book your pass a couple of months to a couple of weeks before your trip.
Important Tip: For you to receive your JR Rail Pass, you need to have your passport and, most importantly, you need to receive a Temporary Visitor/Visa stamp at the airport. With that said, do NOT pass through automated gates – or else you won’t receive the stamp, and consequently, you won’t receive your pass.
Reserving Seats and Using the Pass
To reserve your seats, you will need to head to the Reserved-Seat Ticket Machines or Ticket Office (Midori-no-madoguchi). At the Ticket Office, you’ll simply show your ticket and the workers will tell you which seats are open for reservation, and they’ll reserve them for you.
For the Reserved-Seat Ticket Machines, which are not available at all stations yet, you will scan your JR Pass’s QR Code and follow the instructions to book your seats at no extra cost.
Tips for Maximizing the JR Rail Pass
What’s great about booking your JR Pass with Klook is that, not only is it a seamless procedure, but it will give you three freebies – one being a digital guide to help you maximize your JR Pass.
In the mean time, here are some quick tips for maximizing your JR Pass:
- Plan your itinerary and take advantage of the long-distance travel.
- Book a Regional Pass, instead, if you want to travel all over a specific region.
- Use the pass for all of the JR Network’s transportation methods, including buses and ferry boats.
- Since October 2023, the JR Pass holders began receiving certain benefits, including discounts. Explore all the benefits here, and make the most of them!
Final Thing to Know about JR Pass
The JR Pass is something you CANNOT afford to lose, because you will NOT receive a new one. With that said, make sure you stay organized and keep your JR Pass safe!!
Conclusion: Do I need a JR Pass?
To get your solid and final answer, plug in your itinerary in this wonderful JR Pass calculator! This calculator will show you how much your itinerary would cost with JR transportation – which will help you understand if you’d save or lose money with the JR Pass.
As my own overall answer, I say that one should consider the JR Pass only if they’re planning to travel all over the country and do long distances. Or, if you want to visit the entirety of one region, you can get the regional JR passes.
If the JR Pass is what you’re looking for, book your passes here!
Japan Rail Pass FAQ
Can I travel Japan without a JR Pass?
Yes, of course!! The Japan Rail Pass is not something you need, but a pass that can help you save money IF you’re traveling through out the whole country or long distances!
Can Japan Rail Pass be used on subway?
No. As mentioned earlier, the JR Pass only works for the JR network transportation methods, including all the trains. With that said, make sure to get a Pasmo Passport or Suica Card to smoothly navigate public transportation methods – including subways and trams.
Can I use Japan Rail Pass for Shinkansen?
Yes, the Japan Rail Pass gives you unlimited Shinkansen rides.
Can I use JR Pass in Tokyo and Osaka?
Yes, you can use your JR Pass in Tokyo and Osaka.
Does JR Pass cover Mount Fuji? Osaka and Kyoto? (Maybe FAQ Sections)
Yes, the National JR Pass covers every destination in Japan.
Osaka and Kyoto are in the Kansai Region. Being very close by, you DO NOT need a JR Pass to visit both cities. BUT, if you want to travel around the Kansai region, then you could consider a regional pass!
Are You Prepared for Your Japan Travels?
This is your one-stop-shop in understanding everything you need – something I wish I had for my own travels. Here you’ll find what you need to do to prepare for your Japan travels, things to know, essentials like Travel Medical Insurance, eSims, and more. Enjoy!✨
Read More on Japan
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- How to Spend the Best 2 Days in Lake Kawaguchiko
- The Best Day Trips from Tokyo
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I have to ask…
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